A Very Twisted Fairy Tale
by The Petulant Purple Princess
Summary: Most definitely not your average fairy tale. Parody of the movie Shrek. HxK yaoi! Glorious yaoi!
1. Intro

**Well, I had wanted to wait until I had finished at least one of my other on-going fics, but I am really excited about this one. It's a parody of the movie Shrek, and it's also yaoi! **

**_confetti floats down from the air_**

**Phantom: If you don't like yaoi, or the movie Shrek, go away. As Triple P has stated in several of her other fics, flames are openly mocked on My Space and other such websites.**

**Disclaimer: I am but a poor college student and own nothing of value, including Shrek and Yu Yu Hakusho. Those belong to rich people who are not me.**

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_Once upon a time, there was a young prince who was sexier than even the gods. But his very birth was a curse, and he was sealed away in the highest room of the tallest tower of a castle guarded by a single warrior. Only a person worthy of the prince's affections could defeat the warrior. Many jealous princes and rabid fan-girls attempted to pass this warrior, but none prevailed…_

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"What the hell is this crap!?"

A short, dark figure hurled the now very singed fairy tale book at the wall and finished his business. So much for reading material. Now he'd have to find another, preferably more violent and disturbing book to read.

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**Yes, I know it is short. I'm trying to keep as close to the Shrek story line as possible, but obviously there are going to be a few minor changes. I'm not including the songs they put in there, because the music isn't as important to my story as it is to Shrek. So, sorry, no Smash Mouth. The next chapter (and hopefully a new story I've started on) will be posted, with any luck, in the near future.**

**Read, review, all that jazz.**


	2. Chapter 1

**And here we have the long awaited next chapter! I thought about giving a list of who's playing who, but I figured it would be pretty self explanatory who's Shrek, and who's Donkey. I tried to keep it as close as possible to the Shrek story line, but as you'll see I kind of strayed to make it more interesting, and not just a complete copy of the movie with different characters. So, read, enjoy, and review!**

**Disclaimer: See Intro. for the disclaimer.**

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A small group of green haired women gathered around a bonfire just outside their quaint little village. Each of them held torches clutched in their small fists. They were facing the village commons, where a stooped over old woman was delivering a rapturous speech.

"And this is why the Imiko, the Forbidden Child, must be destroyed!" she shouted, bringing cheers from the women. "Now go! Make this man suffer, as his kind have made us suffer in the past!"

The women cheered again, and scampered off into the surrounding forest. Glowing red eyes watched them leave. A fang glinted in the dim light, as the small demon turned to stalk his next victims.

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The little group of Koorime stopped at the edge of a circular meadow. Signs were posted on trees at random intervals that read: "Land of the Forbidden Child. Leave now or your life is forfeit." They looked almost as if they'd been written in blood.

"We must be cautious," the leader whispered. "The beast controls fire, so—"

"So why did you bring _torches_ to eliminate _me_?" a deep voice asked. Terrified, the women whirled around to face a short, but muscular man clad entirely in black. His midnight hair with a splash of white stood straight up. "It's rather foolish to give your opponent an advantage like that." The torches suddenly exploded into flame, forcing the Koorime to drop them.

"Be gone, filth!" a particularly brave one cried. She sent a volley of razor sharp ice crystals at the little demon, but the intense heat from the flames, combined with the fire demon's natural hotness, melted the crystals before they could reach him. Cool water splashed in his face, doing him no harm at all.

The Forbidden Child smirked. "I appreciate your concern, but I have bathed recently." Black flames shot up around his body, and the small fire demon took a menacing step toward the women. The Koorime shrieked in terror and ran.

Satisfied that the Koorime of the village would not be coming to bother him again anytime soon, the demon extinguished the flames with a wave of his hand. He turned to go back to his hut in the middle of his meadow, when two signs he did not post caught his eye.

One had a badly drawn image of him on it; it looked almost like a three-year-old had drawn it. He was fairly certain his fangs weren't _that_ long and… were those bat wings? Above the lousy representation of his person, in bold letters were the words "Wanted: Dead or Alive." The demon rolled his eyes and glanced at the other sign.

It wasn't quite as elaborate (or badly drawn) as his wanted sign was, but it got the message across. In plain writing it read "Wanted: Humans and Those Demons Foolish Enough to Side With Them." Once again, the demon rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets, walking back to his hut and muttering under his breath.

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"Traitor," the dark haired young man grumbled. He wore a torn yellow t-shirt and dark blue sweats; his hands were roughly tied behind his back. He and an older demon woman stood at the back of a very long line. "Damn bitch," he grumbled again, his brown eyes glaring as his captor gave him an unnecessarily forceful shove forward.

She was a fox demon, with brown hair, ears, and tail. She was garbed in a slightly bizarre ensemble: a white tank top with a yellow collar and blue tie, pink shorts, and blue leggings. "Sorry Yusuke," she said in a very unapologetic voice. "It's a sad thing when a girl has to part with her best fighter. But you know how it is; the Arena's losing money, and, well, you _are_ human…"

"You can't prove it, you stupid fox!" Yusuke shouted, attracting the attention of people around them. "My energy is entirely demonic! Anyone with a half-decent Spirit Awareness can sense it!"

The fox girl smiled sweetly and waved a piece of paper in the boy's face. "This is all the proof I need," she said smugly. "It's a shame I can't find your mother as well."

Yusuke clenched and unclenched his fists behind his back. "Just you wait 'til I'm free, Koto," he said in a low voice. The fox girl jumped back, being very familiar with that voice. It was the same voice he used in the ring, just as he was going in for the kill.

Koto gulped nervously, but plucked up her courage and gave Yusuke another unnecessarily rough push. This time he stumbled, falling face-first into the back of an obese green skinned demon, which happened to be carrying a very large spiked club.

"Watch where you're going half-pint!" the rotund beast roared, spraying saliva into Yusuke's and Koto's faces.

Yusuke wrinkled his eyebrows into a look of disgust. "Dude, you really need some Tic-Tacs or something, 'cause your breath _stinks_!" he bantered. In response, the demon let out a screeching battle cry and raised its club.

Koto yelped in an undignified manner as she and Yusuke leaped out of the club's path. "Damn it Yusuke!" she screamed at the stumbling youth; with his hands tied behind his back he was having some trouble staying balanced. "Why did you have to go and piss him off!?"

"I am a woman!" the offended creature cried. It swung its club in a wide arc, very narrowly missing the terrified kitsune girl.

"Yusuke, do something!" Koto pleaded.

"I'm a little tied up at the moment!" he retorted, leaning against a tree and struggling against his bonds. The club was swung in his direction, and in the position he was in, Yusuke was unable to move in time. It was only a glancing blow (the demon was too enraged to think about aiming at its target), but the spikes dug deep into the boy's back. With an agonized scream, Yusuke fell forward.

Koto whimpered as the overweight monster slowly made its way to her. A gruesome grin formed on its ugly face as it raised its club menacingly, and the fox girl cringed, expecting a very painful end to her life.

It never came. As the demon came within range, a blue light glowed behind it, steadily growing brighter as each second passed. Just before the final blow was made, a masculine shout was heard, and the blue light exploded. When Koto finally blinked away the stars in her eyes, the demon lay dead at her feet. Up ahead, she could see the authorities running to find the cause of the disturbance.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Koto turned to thank Yusuke, and to ask how he managed to shoot the Spirit Gun with his hands tied behind his back. All she found were his cut bonds and a trail of blood leading into the nearby forest.

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Yusuke ran long and hard, despite his profusely bleeding back. There was no way he was going to let those demons get a hold of him to imprison him, or maybe even kill him. There was the strong possibility that he would die in the forest anyway, but Yusuke didn't really care. It was better than execution.

Yusuke had traveled deep into the forest before he finally tired out. He leaned heavily against a nearby tree trunk just as his knees buckled underneath him. He was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

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Yusuke awoke to find blood red eyes staring at him. He gave a startled yell, backing up against the tree. His back brushed against the rough bark, and his yell turned painful as his wounds reopened.

"Stupid," the short demon grunted. "There is a stream about a mile from here, and the next village has a healer. I suggest you go clean up and visit her." The demon turned and walked away, having said what he wanted to say.

"Why can't you help me?" Yusuke asked weakly. He tried to stand, but the blood loss made him dizzy.

"My powers are more destructive than healing," the demon answered bluntly. "You'd be better off at the village."

Yusuke opened his mouth to protest, but his words were cut off when a clawed hand roughly pulled him to his feet. His head swam and he fought the urge to vomit.

"By order of His Highness Lord Karasu, you are under arrest!" the demon soldier announced, ignoring the other demon completely. Behind him, Koto smirked triumphantly at the captive Yusuke.

"I told you this would come in handy," she gloated, pulling out her precious document.

Yusuke launched himself from the demon's grip with a roar, fists flying at Koto. The fox girl shrieked and scampered away from his attacks, only to be confronted by a short, dark, and angry demon with glowing red eyes. Off to the side, the soldier, who had accompanied her to retrieve her bounty, lay dead, his body covered in distinct burns. Recognition dawned in her eyes when she noticed the white starburst splashed against the midnight black of his hair.

"You… You're the Forbidden Child!" the fox girl stammered, backing away.

Yusuke watched the exchange in interest from his spot on the ground. Koto really didn't need to run from him; as soon as he got away from the demon restraining him, he doubled over and puked. When he had finished, the demon was already dead and the other, more dangerous looking demon was advancing on his former boss. What Koto said especially caught his attention.

"It is a low tactic to use the circumstances of one's birth against them," the Forbidden Child growled, low and dangerous. The document in the kitsune's hands spontaneously combusted, and she was forced to drop it. Its ashes slowly floated to the ground. Yusuke tore his eyes away from his ruined birth certificate, to find that Koto had fled.

Slowly and shakily, Yusuke stood to his feet and regarded the small demon curiously. "Are you really the Forbidden Child?" he asked quietly.

The demon paused before answering. "I am." Then he took in Yusuke's wounds and added, "You really should see the healer."

Yusuke brushed off the advice and stuck out his hand in a friendly gesture. "I'm Yusuke," he said brightly.

For a mere second, confusion crossed the small demon's features, but his stony mask was quickly put back in place. Giving the youth a withering glance, he turned and walked off in the opposite direction.

Struggling to stay upright, Yusuke followed. "So," he panted, "what's your name?"

The demon blinked and answered hesitantly, "My mother named me Hiei. Her people named me the Forbidden Child, among other things. Why do you want to know?" he questioned, suspicious of the overly friendly boy.

"Because, Yusuke said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, "it would feel weird calling you Forbidden Child all the time." The two walked in uneasy silence, Hiei wondering why the boy was still following him, and Yusuke wondering how to phrase his next question without being incinerated.

"Can I stay with you?" Yusuke asked suddenly.

"Excuse me?" A look of shock crossed over Hiei's face and he stopped moving all together. "Why the hell would you want to stay with _me_?"

"I don't have the strength to make it to the village," Yusuke answered weakly. "I was only hoping to stay the night to regain my strength and figure out where to go from there. I can't stay in Makai. Not with all the anti-human laws Karasu's passing."

"Fine," Hiei answered curtly. "You can stay, but I want you gone by first light." He sighed when he felt the larger body slump against him, and with a roll of his eyes, he carried the boy to his hut in the meadow.


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry it took so long to get this thing up. I would have gotten this done sooner, but finals...**

**Anywayz, things that need to be addressed before the chapter starts! First off, Karasu may be a little OOC. I don't know. This is only the second time I've had to write his character, and the first time I've had to do it in depth. So, sorry if I screwed up, please tell me how to fix him, and I will do it gladly. Also, many would say that Yukina is definitely OOC. I don't think so. Yukina is tougher than she looks and acts, so I don't want people whining, telling me I made Yukina out of character. **

**Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho, Shrek, and Yellow Submarine belong to people who are not me. Now leave me alone, and take your lawsuits with you!  


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Yusuke came to in a surprisingly warm and cozy little room, considering who his host was. The Forbidden Child… Mothered by one of the isolationist Koorime, and fathered by a wandering fire demon. No wonder he'd gotten pissed when Koto tried to use his heritage against him. Nearly the same thing had happened to him, only he'd actually been strong enough to avoid imprisonment and death. He'd make a fun sparring partner, actually.

With that interesting thought, Yusuke slipped back into unconsciousness.

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A dark figure swept through a dimly lit hall with only one destination in mind. He pushed the set of double doors at the end of the hall open with an air of authority, and regally swept into the dank dungeon room. The temperature immediately plummeted.

The source of the cold was a young demon girl. She wore a thin, ratty gray kimono that came down just below her knees. Judging by the aroma that hung around her, she had been imprisoned for some time. Despite her condition though, the young demoness was beautiful. She was obviously a Koorime; her power over the temperature of the room and her sea green hair was proof enough of that.

She raised her head, and ruby eyes glared bright red at her captor. "Lord Karasu." Her soft voice belied her anger and indignation.

"Ah yes, little Miss Yukina," the tall, dark, and gruesome lord said, as though he hadn't noticed the ice maiden chained to the wall until then. "And how are you this morning? Are you willing to talk?"

"Bite me," Yukina snapped. The raven haired man swooped down on her, grasping her chin tightly. His violet eyes had a reddish tint to them, but Yukina glared defiantly back, her own eyes almost glowing in her determination.

"_Where is he!?_" Karasu growled. Yukina spat in his masked face in response. Karasu snarled, shoving the ice maiden's head to the side and leaving bloody scratches across her cheek. "I have tried to be patient with you," he raged, "but it seems that normal methods don't work on you." He rummaged around in his cloak pocket as he continued speaking, and Yukina's eyes grew wide in fear and uncertainty. "So perhaps I'll have to be a little more creative." His pale, spidery fingers wrapped around something long and thing, and with a flourish he whipped out…

A feather.

Confusion crossed Yukina's features. "What on earth…?" Whatever else Yukina was about to say was cut off when Karasu grabbed her bare foot and gently ran the feather against the bottom of it. She clamped down on her laughter before it ever had a chance to escape, determined not to give the dark lord what he wanted. Karasu continued to run the soft feather against the sensitive underside of Yukina's foot, and soon howls of laughter echoed through the dungeon.

"S-stop!" Yukina begged through her giggles.

"Tell me where the Forbidden Child is, and I might."

Yukina's face contorted in an odd mixture of laughter from the evil tickling, and an unwillingness to condemn her brother to death. Finally though, the tickling prevailed.

"I'll tell you!" she cried. "Just stop tickling me!"

Karasu's eyes smirked triumphantly at the ice maiden as he removed the offending feather, and he gently put Yukina's foot down with a little pat. "Where is the Abomination hiding, Miss Yukina?" he asked, condescendingly sweet.

Yukina lowered her head in shame as she spoke, and her voice seemed a bit shaky. "In the town where we were born, there lived a man who sailed the sea. He told us of his life in the land of submarines, so we sailed up to the sun 'til we found the sea of green. Now he lives beneath the waves, in a yellow submarine." By the time she was done, Yukina was shaking.

"He lives in a yellow submarine," Karasu mused, as an orange skinned lizard-like demon burst into the room.

"We've found the old psychic, my lord," the soldier announced.

"Excellent," Karasu murmured. He got up to follow the scaly beast, finally leaving Yukina to hang limply from the wall in her shame.

Yukina lifted her head slightly, to make sure she was really alone, and allowed a smirk that would have made Hiei proud form on her lips. "I love the Beatles," she said smugly.

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Hiei was Not Happy. He angrily marched into his room, where Yusuke was sleeping on the floor, and kicked the injured boy sharply in the side.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're…?" Yusuke protested, but trailed off when he saw Hiei's angry expression.

"I gave only you permission to stay," the little demon snarled. "I did not tell you you could invite all your friends over for a damn college party!"

"But," Yusuke started, confused, "I don't have any friends! And I'm not in college!"

"Then _why_," Hiei seethed, "are there humans in my meadow?!"

"Huh?" Yusuke said intelligently. Hiei gestured at the window, either unwilling or too angry to continue speaking. Intrigued, Yusuke struggled to his feet and peered out the indicated window. Sure enough, the small meadow was packed with humans, and a few demons. Dozens of tents had been pitched, and there were quite a few campfires burning. "Well what do ya know, there are humans in your meadow!" he exclaimed sheepishly.

Hiei snarled wordlessly and stormed to the front door. Curious, Yusuke followed. The fire demon threw the door open and stomped into the middle of the meadow; the humans didn't look twice at him. He climbed on top of a conveniently placed boulder and surrounded himself in black flames. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY MEADOW!?" he roared, finally catching the humans' attention.

There was a moment of stunned silence, and Yusuke couldn't help but smirk. But the silence didn't last long, and the meadow was soon filled with terrified humans screams. The few demons present came forward, getting between the defenseless humans and the angry fire demon.

"We don't be meanin' ta intrude," a thin, red haired demon with an Irish accent said in a defensive tone. He had a small horn near the top of his head, and he had bright blue eyes. He wore loose fitting white pants, but was pretty much shirtless. "We just be settin' up camp. We didn' know this meadow belonged to someone."

"Who are you guys anyway?" Yusuke chimed. Hiei gave him a deadly glare, but he was ignored.

"We are refugees," another demon answered. He had bright, electric blue eyes, and wore a navy blue ninja's outfit. His hair, matching his eyes, was also blue. "The humans you see here have managed to escape Lord Karasu's troops. Because we are sympathetic to them, we are wanted as well. My name is Touya."

"Jin," the Irish accented demon introduced himself.

"And I'm Rinku!" a younger demon, whom Yusuke and Hiei didn't even notice, exclaimed. He didn't look much older than ten years old. "This lunkhead is Chu," he said matter-of-factly, bopping a big and very drunk demon over the head. He had passed out, a half-empty bottle of tequila still clutched in his fist.

"Some of them escaped?" Yusuke asked, a little shocked. "I just only barely got away with my life! Hiei here saved me. I'm sure he'll let you guys stay here too!"

"WHAT!!!" Hiei roared. "I never should have rescued you, bastard! There is no way I'm letting any more of you people-"

"You're very kind," Touya said graciously, ignoring Hiei's tirade. "We will be happy to stay."

"Hey, you're the Forbidden Child, aren't you?" Rinku asked suddenly, peering closely at the very angry Hiei. "You could totally challenge Karasu!" he exclaimed excitedly. "You'd kick his dumb ass!"

"That's a great idea!" Yusuke agreed, clapping the fire demon on the shoulder before he could respond back. "And I'll come with you; I haven't had a good fight in ages!"

"Eh? Ye want a fight, do ye?" Jin asked as Hiei growled angrily. "Ye could try me! I'm a half-decent fighter, if I do say so meself."

"I'll take you up on that when me and Hiei are done with the crow," Yusuke said, waving jovially back at the demon as he dragged the struggling, very angry Forbidden Child away from his meadow.

They had already made it past the Koorime village before Yusuke stopped to rest. He let go of Hiei and leaned heavily against a tree. Hiei just stood stiffly, giving Yusuke the dirtiest look he could muster. Yusuke caught the look and gave him a lopsided grin. "You're mad at me, huh?"

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The orange lizard demon led Karasu out of the dungeon to a much finer room in a much finer part of the fortress. "In there, my lord," the soldier said, bowing lowly. Karasu ignored him and stepped into the room, letting the door slam behind him.

The room was decorated in dark blues and black. The stone floor was covered in a large black rug that filled most of the floor space. Blue tapestries adorned the walls. The room was windowless; it was lighted solely by the soft orange glow of a kerosene lamp on a desk surrounded by bookcases, revealing the room to be Karasu's personal study. In the middle of the room, an old woman with what was once bright pink hair sat cross-legged on a blue cushion. She stared dully at Karasu with muddy brown eyes before speaking.

"Lord Karasu," she rasped in greeting. "I suppose there's a reason you had your minions drag me here?"

"Ah yes," Karasu answered airily as he sat on an identical cushion across from her. "They were civil, I trust?" The old woman continued to stare at him. "Right. Master Genkai, I wish to know the future of my kingdom."

"Do I look like a fortune-teller?" Genkai asked dryly. Karasu was about to retort, or to call on of his soldiers to subdue the insubordinate psychic when Genkai raised a hand, silencing him. "Before you can have a kingdom, you have to be a king." Karasu gave her an exasperated look. "This is a medieval setting, imbecile. Right now, you're just a lord, and your lands could easily be picked up by any _real_ king that wants them. You want a kingdom, you gotta be a king."

"You will tell me how to become a king," Karasu ordered, narrowing his eyes menacingly at the old psychic.

Not in the least bit intimidated, Genkai shrugged. "There are many ways to become a king. Probably the quickest is to marry someone of direct royal descent." Genkai reached into her pocket, pulling out a wrinkled brochure and tossing it at the demon. "Here is a list of the available princes and princesses in the world, and their biographies. Can I go now?"

Karasu nodded absently, flipping through the pages. He almost didn't notice the orange soldier escort Genkai out of the room, so intent on the pamphlet was he. It only mentioned two princesses, which he discounted immediately, as they were human. The last, a prince, Karasu noted, was a beautiful silver-haired kitsune. He skimmed the kitsune's profile (whose name was Kurama), and learned some interesting things. Like he was trapped in a castle surrounded by a lake of lava and guarded by what was described as a somewhat Amazonian warrior. The fact that Kurama was a man didn't bother him much; Karasu actually preferred men over women. You didn't have to worry about a brat getting in the way nine months after fucking.

"Kurama…" Karasu murmured, his eyes glinting dangerously. "You will be mine, and I _will_ be king!"

He skipped the part in Kurama's profile about the curse.


	4. Chapter 3

**It's here! It took me awhile, and I'm sorry. I'm taking six classes this semester, and I'm thinking I bit off more than I can chew. I'm trying.**

**Phantom: I shouldn't even have to say what she does and doesn't own.

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Hiei angrily stomped through the cornfield Yusuke led him through, burning it as he went. The dumb human had already taken him through at least three, always saying that Karasu's castle would be at the end.

If Hiei saw another farm house, Yusuke would be dead very soon.

Fate, apparently, was on Yusuke's side, because when they reached the very edge of the field, a huge, forty story black castle fortress stood ominously before them. "See!" Yusuke said triumphantly. "Told you I'd find it."

Hiei merely grunted and strode forward onto the dirt road leading to the castle gate. Yusuke hurried to follow.

The black iron gate was guarded by a single, inexperienced soldier. The soldier's inexperience was clear; as soon as he recognized Hiei, he fainted.

"That," Yusuke pointed out, "was way too easy. There's gotta be more security further in."

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Yusuke was proven wrong when the two intruders made it through to the small town surrounding the castle. Either that, or there _had_ been an army, but one that had fled when the Forbidden Child was spotted, warning the town as it went. A few tumbleweeds rolled by as the wind whistled through the streets; the place was empty.

"Um, aren't there supposed to be people here?" Yusuke asked. His voice echoed loudly throughout the bare city.

"Yes," Hiei said quietly. "And they're likely still here, hiding. If you're _quiet_ we might be able to get through here to the castle unscathed!"

Yusuke nodded absently, wandering away from the fire demon. "Yeah that could work," he called over his shoulder. "Or, we could just pretend we're tourists!"

"What are you talking abou--" Hiei's snappish retort was cut off when he realized where Yusuke was headed. Just at the side of the road there was an abandoned cart with a sign reading "Visitors' Center" nailed on it, and a lever that clearly did something obnoxious jutting out the side. Yusuke was headed straight for it. "No, you fool!" Hiei hissed. But it was already too late; Yusuke pulled the lever.

The cart started ticking, causing Hiei and Yusuke to feel that it would be a good idea to step back a little. Suddenly, a small set of shutters flew open, revealing little miniatures. Most were of demons, but there were a few, caged, humans. At the very top of the set, on a large black castle that was a perfect representation of the real thing, sat a miniature of Lord Karasu, overseeing his lands. As one, the little miniatures opened their tiny, wooden mouths and burst into song:

_Welcome to Makai_

_Such a perfect town_

_Here we have some rules_

_Let us lay them down_

_Don't make waves_

_Stay in line_

_And we'll get along fine_

_Makai is a perfect place_

_Please keep all humans out_

_We don't them about_

_Makai is_

_Makai is_

_Makai is a perfect place!_

The shutters abruptly snapped shut, and the earlier silence returned.

Yusuke and Hiei blinked, trying to wrap their minds around what the hell just happened. Then, almost as randomly as the little wooden people had started singing, Yusuke laughed. Hiei stood coolly beside the boy while he laughed, growing concerned that he might rupture something, he was laughing so hard.

Finally, after several minutes of rolling on the ground in hysterics, Yusuke calmed down. "Are you done?" Hiei asked when the boy heaved himself up, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice.

Yusuke nodded, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Good. Now get your ass moving. I heard voices coming from that direction." Hiei pointed down a nearby alleyway, where faint cheers could be heard. Still, Yusuke had to comment.

"Dude, you probably shouldn't advertise that you're hearing voices," he snickered.

Hiei glared pointedly, then turned and walked away. "Don't make me kill you."

Yusuke grinned and followed the demon's example, racing up ahead of him. Hiei rolled his eyes and followed at a more leisurely pace, his hands shoved in his pockets and a bored expression on his face. Soon, they reached the end of the alley.

It opened up into a huge arena, similar to the one Yusuke used to work at. A circular fighting ring was placed in the middle, a group of lizard-like demon soldiers standing proudly in the center of it. Their gazes were directed upwards at Lord Karasu himself, who was standing on a high balcony overlooking the arena. Surrounding the ring were stands filled with crowds and crowds of demons. Boldly, Hiei and Yusuke stepped forward, drawing hateful jeers and shouts from them.

When Hiei raised his eyes to the stands, revealing their blood red hue and the white starburst standing out against his black hair, they quieted.

"Well, well, well," Karasu said, smoothly recovering from his interrupted speech. "I'd been planning on having you fight each other for the prize, but this presents a much more interesting situation. The one to defeat the Forbidden Child and his companion, will have the privilege of completing a very important task for me. Have fun…" he finished in a sing-song voice, and waved his hand airily as permission to begin.

As one, the lizard demon soldiers advanced on Hiei and Yusuke. "Awww, come on guys!" Yusuke jibed with a grin on his face. "Can't we just sit and settle this over a few bottles of sake?"

"Yusuke," Hiei murmured, not even glancing at him. "Shut up and fight." And with that, the fire demon charged into battle.

Gasps echoed throughout the stadium as the first demon fell. No one had been able to see what had happened; one second Hiei was standing, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana, and the next he was crouched by a dead body in an attack position.

"Hey, save some for me!" Yusuke cried gleefully. He jumped into the middle of the group of demons, sending most of them flying with a beautifully executed roundhouse. "Chuck Norris ain't got nothin' on me!" the adolescent proclaimed.

The demons in the crowd booed and made rude gestures, because, as we all know, none can defeat the almighty power that is Chuck Norris.

"Quit cracking jokes, imbecile!" Hiei snarled as the soldiers mobbed him. "Chuck Norris jokes don't make logical sense anyway! HYAAH!!!" The fire demon was suddenly surrounded in black flames. With an enraged scream the flames fanned outward in a massive explosion, incinerating all the demons in the arena and some in the stands. When the smoke cleared, the only ones standing were an annoyed Hiei and a slightly singed Yusuke with a bewildered look on his face.

"Jeez," Yusuke said. "If you could've done that, why didn't you just do it in the first place?"

"More dramatic that way," Hiei replied with a smirk.

Suddenly, the two's conversation was cut short when demon soldiers up in the stands trained their cross bows on them, ready to fire at any moment. Up in his balcony, Karasu regarded them with disdain and annoyance. How was he supposed to win Kurama over if all his knights were dead?

"Shall I give the order, sir?" a general asked. Karasu was about to respond with an avid affirmative, when a thought crossed his mind. The Forbidden Child was infamous throughout the world, for both his power and his rebellious attitude. Having this demon under his control would most certainly be advantageous in convincing the kitsune to join him.

"No," Karasu snapped. "Hold your fire!" To Hiei and Yusuke, he said, much more loudly and musically, "Congratulations, Forbidden Child and… companion!" He took a moment to scowl at Yusuke's humanness before continuing. "You have won my challenge, and the privilege of going on a mighty quest!"

"Go on your own damn quest!" Hiei snarled. "I didn't come here to play games. I'm here to stop you!"

"Oh?" Karasu raised an eyebrow at the little demon. "And how have I wronged you?"

The fire demon snorted. "My wanted signs, for starters. Not to mention the humans escaping your ridiculous laws through my land!"

Yusuke smacked his hand to his forehead. '_Brilliant Hiei_,' he thought. '_Give away their position!_'

"Hmm. Yes, I can see how that would bother you. Would you prefer a bargain instead?" Hiei crossed his arms and glared up at Karasu. "If you complete this mission, I will repeal the laws exiling the humans, and you will have your land back."

Hiei narrowed his eyes in thought. Why should he go? If he wanted, he could probably kill Karasu, taking control of all of Makai! But then there were his subjects, who would be coming to _him_ for answers to _their_ problems. Hiei tried not to shudder at the thought.

"I accept," Hiei grudgingly replied.

0000000000

"So, what was the deal back there?" Yusuke asked as they walked through yet another cornfield, this time going away from Karasu's castle. "I mean, you could've easily killed Karasu!"

"Yes, I could have," Hiei readily agreed.

"So why didn't you?"

"Yusuke, if I had killed Karasu, I would have become lord," the fire demon explained. "I don't want the responsibility; I just want my meadow back and human-free."

"Yeah, but as a lord you wouldn't have to go on this quest. You could just order everyone to go away and they'd do it."

"Most people already do that," Hiei pointed out dryly. "You're just the exception to that rule. What's more, being a lord isn't about having your every whim catered to. A lord must take care of his lands and people, and that is just a pain in the ass that I don't need."

"Yeah, but I still think it would be damn cool," Yusuke grumbled. Hiei snorted.

0000000000

They marched for days, through blistering cold and scorching desert, traveling for many days and nights, risking life and limb to reach Prince Kurama's castle. Finally, they reached the ominous black mountain, where the prince waited at the top for the one worthy of his affections.

The fire demon and half-human hiked up the volcano silently. They had almost reached the top, when they ran into a wall of heat. It very nearly knocked Yusuke down.

"Dude, Hiei!" the youth choked. Not only did the hot air nearly knock him over, but it made it hard for him to breathe as well. "That was totally uncalled for!"

"It wasn't me, fool!" Hiei responded sharply. "Believe me, you would know if that came from me." The little demon sniffed gingerly at the atmosphere. A foul odor had accompanied the hot air. "Judging from the smell, we're probably close."

"Oh." Yusuke grinned and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought that was you too."

Hiei rolled his eyes and heaved himself over one final ledge. Yusuke followed suit.

Orange, bubbling, molten rock hissed at them. The peak of the mountain was actually a bowl, filled with a giant lake of lava; jutting from the lake was an enormous platform of rock. On that rock, a ruined, once proud castle fortress stood. The only way to get to the castle was a rickety old bridge.

Yusuke shrank behind Hiei. "Well, this should be a piece of cake!" he said sarcastically.


	5. Chapter 4

**Took me forever, but I'm finished! With this chapter at least. Sorry for the delay, but I've been busy this summer, what with mission trips and job hunting, and next week I'm gonna be a camp counselor. Summer is not supposed to be this exhausting, damn it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own squat. If there are any questions pertaining to the subject, please refer to the beginning of the fic and stop bugging me.

* * *

**

"So, any ideas on how we're going to get there?" Yusuke asked cheerfully. His legs were visibly shaking and his teeth were audibly chattering.

"See the bridge?" Hiei pointed at the rickety rope bridge, swaying slightly across the lava. "That would be how we get there."

"But I'm afraid of heights. And lava," Yusuke whined.

Hiei was quickly growing tired of his human burden. "Then stay here or go home," he snapped, striding purposefully to the bridge. "I don't have time for your infantile behavior."

"Fine!" Yusuke pouted as Hiei stepped onto the bridge. The ground rumbled as the adolescent wandered around the rim, looking for something interesting to do that didn't involve lava or unstable old bridges.

Yusuke wandered until he had lost sight of Hiei and the bridge. Thinking it would be safer to stay within eyesight of the castle, the boy headed back.

The ground rumbled again, and this time, something fell from the sky. Something large, hard, that smelled a little burnt and collided with Yusuke's head.

"Ow…" Yusuke furiously rubbed the sore spot and glared at whatever it was that bumped his head. It looked funny. It was round with little lumps on it, and charred black. That rather explained the smell, but what _was_ the darn thing?

Curious, he picked it up and examined it. Parts of it crumbled in his hand, which ruled out any type of rock. If it were rock, it would have been glossy and not crumbly when whatever it was burnt it. Yusuke turned it over in his hands, and stared directly into two wide, empty eyesockets.

It was a human skull.

Trembling, Yusuke raised his eyes. Just above his head, protruding from the rock wall surrounding the rim of the volcano, there was a headless skeleton, charred black from a past eruption. Its hand stretched out in a silent plea for help.

"AAHH!!!"

0000000000

Hiei heard Yusuke's scream over the gurgling and hissing of the lava, but ignored him. The brat knew how to take care of himself, and he was already over half-way across the bridge; going back to kill whatever bug Yusuke'd found would be a waste of time. He just wanted to save this royal asshole and go back to his meadow and sleep for awhile. Then after that maybe he could terrorize the Koorime village…

The bridge swayed precariously as the mountain heaved again in warning. Hiei eyed the rope cautiously, watching for any fraying that would mean his demise. He heard Yusuke yelp again, this time sounding much closer than he had been, and turned around. The boy was sprinting for the bridge, a cloud of volcanic ash billowing in his wake.

The bridge started swaying even more violently when Yusuke raced across it. Suddenly, Hiei decided that he didn't want to be on the swinging old bridge anymore, and ran to the safety of the castle. Seconds later, Yusuke plowed into his back.

With a startled cry, Hiei fell face forward into the dust. A cloud of black ash rose around both Hiei and Yusuke. Coughing, the half-human rolled away from his companion, grinning at Hiei's glowering. The fire demon's hair was covered in ash, completely obscuring his white starburst. His face was also smeared with it, making him almost unrecognizable.

"Never," Hiei hissed, "do that again!"

"But there was a skeleton!" Yusuke whined pathetically.

"I don't care if Lord Enma himself was on your ass, don't ever knock me down again!" Hiei's Jagan blazed a violent purple under his headband, and Yusuke wisely chose to drop it. "Now, the princely asshole is gonna be in the highest room of the tallest tower, and there should be some sort of guardian protecting him…"

"How d'you know that?"

"It's called a book, perhaps you've heard of them?"

"Whatever."

Yusuke followed Hiei into the ruined fortress, whistling a cheerful tune. He knew it would probably irritate Hiei, but the place was damn creepy. Cracks in the walls and floors, born from the extreme heat of the volcano, glowed an eerie orange from the lava outside. The place reeked of char, and the silence was unnerving.

Inevitably, Yusuke's whistling began to grate on Hiei's nerves. They had wandered the castle ruins for less than five minutes before the demon snapped.

"Two things Yusuke," Hiei snarled. "Shut. Up. Now go see if you can find Kurama's guardian."

"Why's it gotta be me!?!"

"Because you're on my nerves and I said so. Go!"

Yusuke shoved his hands in his pockets and skulked off, grumbling to himself. Hiei merely shook his head in exasperation and went off on his own way.

As he explored, a tower came into view. From what he could tell, it was the one he was looking for. It was the tallest tower he'd seen so far, and there was a light in the uppermost window.

"Found you," Hiei smirked. "Now how do I get to you?"

0000000000

Yusuke had started whistling again. He really couldn't help it. The castle seemed even creepier without the comfort of the powerful demon's presence. So when part of the wall started crumbling after yet another tremor, he felt perfectly justified in screaming like a little girl.

The sound reverberated, making it seem like ten Yusukes were screaming like little girls instead of just the one. When the last echo faded into silence, Yusuke giggled nervously and continued his search for Kurama's guardian.

The silence was so oppressive he was starting to hear things! He could have sworn he heard footsteps behind him, but when he turned to look, he saw nothing. He _really_ wished Hiei hadn't decided to separate.

He picked up his whistling again, a decidedly cheery tune, and he suddenly felt something prod his back. He spun around to face a small shadowed figure, pointing a spear at his chest.

"Who are you?" the figure demanded in a high, feminine voice. Yusuke was prodded again, and he was forced to take a step back. "Answer me!"

"Uh, I'm Yusuke," the boy answered nervously, very much aware of the spear threatening to pierce his skin. "And, uh, I'm here to help rescue the prince, or whatever."

The figure lowered its weapon and seemed to peer at him scrutinizingly. Then it stepped out of the shadows. 'It' had short, mousey brown hair, and big expressive brown eyes that were currently narrowed in hostility. The figure, who was now proven to be a teenage girl, wore heavy body armor and gauntlets, a brown leather skirt, and guards over her boots and shins. "How many more are in your party?" the knight asked.

"Um, what?"

"You said you were here to help, right? That would imply that there are others with you!" the girl explained in frustration.

"Oh. Just one more. Why?"

The girl drew herself up proudly. "Because I am Prince Kurama's guardian!" she announced. "It is my job to fight any and all wishing to wed the prince. Only those who defeat me are worthy of his affection!"

Yusuke stared blankly. "You know, that's kind of a weird way to choose a mate."

"Don't look at me, it wasn't my idea!" the girl cried. "But come on, you have to lead me to your companion so we can fight." Wasting no time, she grabbed Yusuke's wrist and dragged him the way she saw him come.

0000000000

Hiei shook his head. He'd heard Yusuke scream again after the small tremor. Really, this was getting ridiculous. If the boy couldn't handle a few small earthquakes, what the hell was he traveling with Hiei for?

While Hiei was contemplating what he would do with his human burden, he came across what was once a small courtyard. Just across it was the tower he was looking for. The mountain grumbled again, almost as if it were crouching and waiting to pounce. Hiei quirked his brow in concern. It had barely been ten minutes since the last quake. Perhaps there was to be an eruption soon? If that was the case, he needed to get Kurama, find Yusuke, and get out of here.

As he was crossing the courtyard, two small people (though they were taller than the little demon) plowed into him, knocking Hiei down for the second time that day. He quickly righted himself, disentangling his limbs from Yusuke's and the other human's limbs to glare at the boy. "What did I tell you about knocking me over?" the fire demon growled.

"She said it was important," Yusuke quickly blamed, pointing an accusing finger at the girl.

"Who the hell are you?" Hiei asked sharply.

"She's Kurama's guardian," Yusuke supplied when the girl didn't answer. Instead, she was giving Hiei the same scrutinizing stare she gave Yusuke. She stared long and hard at the fire demon, then smiled happily.

"Okay," she said. She reached down her cleavage and pulled out a key, holding it out to Hiei. "He's all yours."

Hiei's and Yusuke's expressions were almost identical. "What just happened?" Yusuke queried incredulously. "Is that the key to the tower?"

"Yep! I have a gift, to analyze a person's soul and find a compatible soul mate for them. I call it Matchmaker. Yours," the girl pointed dramatically at Hiei, "fits perfectly with Prince Kurama's."

Hiei seriously doubted that the girl could do what she said she could. But her acceptance of him made things a lot easier for him, and he snatched the key from her outstretched hand and continued to the tower.

"Just out of curiosity," Yusuke began as they followed Hiei, "what would you've done if Hiei's soul _wasn't_ compatible?"

"Same thing as all the others," she shrugged. "Toss 'im into the lava."

The word 'lava' was apparently a key word, because as soon as the guardian said it, the mountain started shaking. Violently. Bits and pieces of the old fortress crumbled and shook off into the lava below, which was steadily and quickly rising.

"Come on!" Hiei shouted, flicking to the tower and quickly unlocking the door. The humans obediently ran into the open door. "We don't have much time!"

"Oh, don't worry!" the guardian smiled reassuringly. "A force-field was built around this castle to prevent it from being damaged in an eruption. It was designed to stay intact until-" Her expression morphed into one of horror as realization dawned on her. "Until Kurama's soul mate arrives! And you're here! We've got to hurry!" The three thundered up the winding staircase as the lava continued to rise.

Within minutes, they reached another door. There was no place else to go. "This is it," Kurama's guardian panted. "This is Kurama's room." Hiei nodded, and, without even bothering with the key, kicked the door open with a bang.

Inside the room, an already disgruntled silver kitsune jumped, startled from his anxious pacing. His wide golden eyes landed on Hiei, then moved to Yusuke, and finally to his protector, taking in their disheveled and dirty appearance. "Keiko," he said to the guardian, "what the hell is going on?"


	6. Chapter 5

Kurama was growing worried. The volcano had started rumbling at an alarming frequency, and parts of the castle were beginning to crumble away at each vibration. That certainly wasn't a good sign, but Guardian Keiko hadn't been by to alleviate or confirm his worries that the spells protecting the volcanic fortress were about to collapse.

Golden eyes narrowing at the little window by his bed, he paced the length of his room. His silver fluff of a tail swished furiously as he about-faced, and that was when Keiko and two strangers burst through the door. Both of their faces were liberally covered in soot, and Keiko's eyes had a wild, terrified gleam to them. "Keiko, what the hell is going on?" he all but shouted at her.

"Kurama, we have to get out of here!" Keiko cried. "There's about to be an eruption and the force field is no longer intact--" So, one of these two scruffy looking creatures wanted to wed him, eh? For some reason, he'd always thought it'd be a female that would win the right to "rescue" him. Not that it mattered either way. Kurama scrutinized them both carefully; he hoped it wasn't the shorter one that had beaten Keiko's test. That one could use some cleaning up. "—and the castle will be destroyed and we really shouldn't be here when that happens!"

Kurama's eyes slid back to the window and he quickly strode over to his bed to be sure of what he saw. Already the magma was lapping at the base of the tower, and quickly rising. "I'm afraid we can no longer leave," he said softly.

"What do you mean!?!" Keiko shrieked, and then she and Hiei and Yusuke crowded around the kitsune to see.

White-faced, Yusuke backed away. "I can't die yet, I don't want to die!" he wailed miserably. "I'M STILL A VIRGIN!" He threw up his fists into the air, shaking them at the ceiling.

And then he spotted Keiko.

"So," he started, sidling up beside her. "You wanna?"

"You pervert!" Blushing furiously, she smacked him in the face. Yusuke fell over side ways, giggling more out of pain than actual amusement, and simply lay there.

Determining that Yusuke was not his soul mate, Kurama turned away. "Well," he said calmly to Hiei, "may I know the name of my suitor before our time comes?"

"Karasu," Hiei replied curtly, paying little attention to the prince. Instead, he was investigating the window, and monitoring the lava level. After some thought he slammed his fists into the wall beside the window, widening it. "You," he pointed at Keiko, "I need rope."

Keiko stared at Hiei in confusion, but before she could answer, Kurama already had a thorny whip in his hand. "Will this suit your needs?" he asked.

Hiei nodded. "It will work. You will need to get that wrapped around that point at the very top of the tower," he indicated, looking out the window and directly above, "and then we will scale the tower."

"But when we get to the top we'll still be stranded!" Keiko argued, a hopeless look in her eye.

"We will not. Now go!"

Obediently, Kurama carefully stepped into the hole in the wall. He gave a cursory glance at the lava, now halfway up the tower, before lashing his whip, wrapping it securely around the point. For extra precaution, he sent his energy down the vine and tied the end in a knot.

"Climb," Hiei directed.

One by one, the four of them scaled to the top of the tower. Hiei was the last to make it to the top, the lava chasing after his heels when he began his ascent. Kurama's whip reverted itself to a rose, which was promptly tucked into his hair.

"You are going to want to form a chain," Hiei directed, wasting no time in unwrapping the bandages around his right arm. A snarling black dragon tattoo winded its way down his arm, and when the headband warding his Jagan was removed and the powerful third eye allowed to open, it wiggled a toe and sprang forth from Hiei's arm. "Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" the fire demon roared, and sent his energy to direct the beast.

Understanding what Hiei had in mind, Kurama grabbed Hiei's hand and laced their fingers. Yes, he was a complete stranger, but he had passed Keiko's test. He could, and would, adjust to the smaller demon's abrupt attitude. Besides, he thought the display of power was quite sexy.

If Hiei noticed, he didn't say a word. Instead, he focused all his attention on directing the dragon away from the volcano; being so close to its element it wanted to play. However, just before the lava overcame the four of them, the dragon came close enough for Hiei to grab onto, and they were in the air.

The dragon soared, trailing the four of them behind. Below, the mountain shuddered, then suddenly vomited, spewing lava and rock at the escaping demons. Yusuke, at the end of the chain, yelped when a flying boulder came close to taking off his legs. The dragon jerked higher, and when Hiei saw a forest far enough away to be unaffected by the eruption, he altered the great reptile's course.

The dragon charged, flaming at the greenery and snorting in satisfaction when a portion of the forest went up in black flames. Kurama winced; he could feel the burning trees' pain as if it were his own. Suddenly Hiei let go of the claw he was clinging to, and the four of them tumbled through the forest canopy. Branches cracked under their weight, and others scratched at their faces in retaliation, and then they landed with a thud on the ground.

Kurama was on his back, Hiei on top of him. Keiko and Yusuke were elsewhere, the both of them in whatever state of pain and irritation. Kurama wasn't concerned with them.

What had his attention was Hiei. The small demon was straddling his chest. They were still holding hands; Hiei leaned over Kurama, pinning his hand above his head. The fire demon held his tattooed arm out, ignoring the fox he was stretched out on. Kurama studied his face; under the grit the demon was quite handsome. He wore an expression of very focused concentration, and when he heard the crashing and ferocious roar, Kurama knew why.

The dragon was flying right at them.

Kurama squeezed his eyes shut, but he felt no teeth or flames eating him up. When the snarling was replaced with relative silence, he cautiously opened an eye, and then the other, nonplussed. Hiei seemed to be absorbing it back into his arm, the dragon settling back on the tattoo. Being mated to this demon would _definitely _be interesting.

And then everything was quiet. The black fire dissipated, no longer feeding off of the dragon's anger, though the damage was already done. The Jagan on the fire demon's forehead slid shut, and was covered with a white headband.

Kurama smirked. This demon had performed many heroic feats in the past hour. He should be rewarded. Preferably now. He snaked his arm that wasn't pinned above his head around the demon's neck and drew him in for a kiss.

Before their lips met, Hiei rolled away violently, startled and snarling and spitting angrily.

"Damn kitsune, what the hell do you think you're doing!?!"

Kurama smiled seductively. "You deserve a reward for rescuing me, my dear Lord Karasu," he replied in a husky voice. He reached his hand out to touch Hiei's knee. "Don't you want your reward?"

Hiei grunted and pushed Kurama's hand away. "I'm not Karasu."

As he was saying this, Keiko chose that moment to announce, "There's a stream a few meters from here. If you need to, you can wash up there."

Hiei wordlessly stood to get the ash off his face and out of his hair. Confused, Kurama stood to follow him. "But, if you're not Karasu, who are you? And why did you give your name as Karasu if that is not your name?"

Hiei snorted and knelt by the water. "Fool," he said. "I did not give you _my _name." He turned his back to the kitsune and splashed cool water on his face.

"I demand to know what is going on," Kurama said in frustration. "Who _are_ you?"

And then Hiei dunked his head in the water. When he reemerged, Kurama saw that the other demon's hair had blue undertones that, despite his annoyance with him, he thought were lovely. When he turned to glower at the prince, Kurama realized with a jolt that he also had a white starburst in his bangs, starkly contrasting against the black of the rest of his hair.

"Forbidden Child!" Kurama breathed, his eyes going wide.

"Took you long enough," Hiei snorted. "However, you may call me Hiei. And by the way? I'm not the one who wants to mate you. Karasu is. I'm just in it to get my peace and quiet back."

"It doesn't work that way," Kurama shook his head, quickly growing angry. "You are the one who passed Keiko's test, you are the one who is destined to mate me."

"Destined?" Hiei quirked an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to believe this bull?"

"It's not bull!" Kurama argued indignantly. "We're fated to each other! You passed Keiko's test!"

"What test? All she did was look at me. I did nothing. This 'test' of hers is nothing more than childish fantasy!"

"How dare you!" Kurama spat. "People have _died_ to free me from my prison, and you have the audacity to call it 'childish fantasy'!?! Stubborn, ignorant half-breed!"

Hiei stiffened, his fists clenching in preparation to strike, but instead he turned and walked away.

"Do _not_ turn your back on me, Forbidden Child!" Hiei ignored him and continued walking. "Fine! I don't need you anyway!" Kurama turned abruptly, his long hair and tail swirling around him and his ears flattened angrily against his head, and walked away in the opposite direction.

Through all of this, the conflicting demons were being observed. Keiko, shocked and concerned by this turn of events, pressed closely against the tree she was hiding behind, Yusuke standing beside her with his hands stuffed nonchalantly in his pockets. "Yusuke!" she hissed, spinning around to give him a Look. "We can't let them do this! We have to go after them."

"Why?"

"Because!" Keiko shouted, exasperated. "They're _soul mates_! Hiei and Kurama are meant to be together, and a prolonged separation could very well destroy them! As Kurama's Protector, I cannot allow that to happen. Go to your lord-"

"Whoa, whoa whoa!" Yusuke interrupted, holding his hands out in front of him. "Hiei ain't my lord. Nobody tells me what to do!"

Keiko put her hands on her hops and leveled him with another Look. "Do you follow him around wherever he goes?"

"Well, yeah."

"Do you follow and obey his orders?"

"Sometimes."

"Do you fight alongside him in battle?"

"Yup."

"Then Hiei is your lord!" Keiko bopped Yusuke upside the head, making him go cross-eyed. "Although you're the lousiest vassal I've ever seen, you still have a duty to Hiei. He will never be happy without Kurama, which is why you're going to bring him back here before sundown. Which is in about an hour," she added with a small glance at the sky, "so you'd better hurry!"

Yusuke squinted his eyes in thought. Keiko had mentioned a duty to Hiei. Did he really have an obligation to the surly little demon? Hiei did save his life; he didn't have to do that. "Damn it, you've got a point," Yusuke grumbled. "Alright I'll get 'im. I'll see ya later." With his hands still in his pockets, he walked off, following the stream in the direction that Hiei had gone.

Grinning dreamily at Yusuke's back, and probably blushing a little as well, Keiko turned and dashed off to find Prince Kurama.


End file.
